Widow of Former Gas Fitter and Addenbrooke’s Hospital Pipe Fitter Seeking Justice after Asbestos-Related Death

The heartbroken widow of a former plumber and gas fitter who laid pipes during the construction of Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge in 1966 and 1967 is appealing to his former colleagues to come forward with information about the working conditions he faced to help with an investigation into his exposure to the deadly dust.

Gordon Harris died from mesothelioma on 23rd August 2016 aged 73. Gordon was a construction worker who assisted in the building of the Addenbrooke’s Hospital in the 1960s and his widow, Christine Harris, is appealing for information following his death from this terminal asbestos related cancer. It is understood that Gordon worked on the hospital project between 1966 and 1967 where it believed he was exposed to deadly asbestos fibres. The father of two died in 2016 after being diagnosed and treated for sarcomatoid mesothelioma a year before, the most aggressive sub-type of the disease.

His widow Christine from Sawbridgeworth in Hertfordshire says: “Gordon’s diagnosis was a terrible shock to our family and we are still devastated by our loss. My husband was a very warm and caring person who enjoyed bird watching, playing snooker and his beloved football team Arsenal. Gordon has left a huge hole in our lives and our daughters, grandchildren and friends all miss him terribly”.

Christine adds: “I have many questions that I would like to be answered in relation to my husband’s exposure to asbestos whilst building this iconic hospital in Cambridge. Specialist asbestos disease solicitors at Ashtons Legal have been instructed to investigate my late husband’s conditions and I am hoping that someone will recall working with Gordon at the Addenbrooke’s site in the 1960s.

Gordon was often known for his incessant whistling and he was working as a pipe fitter on the construction of the hospital fitting iron piping in the service ducts. He was a memorable guy and throughout the cause of his work he often encountered other people working alongside him lagging the pipes with asbestos. The mixing of the asbestos powder created substantial quantities of dust, which fell onto the floor where he worked. My husband was extensively exposed to asbestos during this year at the Addenbrooke’s site”.

Gordon also spent time working in and around Edmonton as a sub-contractor for the Eastern Gas Board, working his way up as a trainee gas fitter specialising in Ascot and multipoint water heaters. He worked six days per week until the family moved to Linton in Cambridgeshire where he was exposed to asbestos at the newly constructed Addenbrooke’s hospital.

Ashtons Legal is now appealing to other subcontractors who worked on-site for more information about the working conditions and materials used in the building of Addenbrooke’s hospital. Ashtons is representing Christine said: “Mesothelioma is an extremely aggressive and incurable cancer caused by exposure to asbestos dust fibres. There are more than 2,500 people in the UK diagnosed every year with mesothelioma. We are appealing to anyone who worked on the Addenbrooke’s building premises during 1966 and 1967, to come forward with further information”.

Anyone with information regarding the construction work at Addenbrooke’s Hospital between 1966 and 1967 or in relation to the Eastern Gas Board in the 1960s should contact Ashtons on 0330 404 0749 or email enquiry@ashtonslegal.co.uk.